Seek and Destroy
by Jerem6401
Summary: The story of Brian Born.  A bounty hunter who makes a living capturing and sometimes eliminating dangerous and murderous Pokemon.  Each chapter is a hunt for another target.
1. Prologue

"Here you go, son," my father said with pride. I was busy playing jacks on the back patio, but couldn't keep my attention when I was presented a gift. My name is Brian Born, and I was eight years old at the time, just turning nine the next day. I lived in a small town called Ivory Hills, just east of Pallet Town, with my mother and father. My mother was an artist and made some money selling her artwork here and there. She was so caring and always supported me, no matter what I wanted to become. She had long black hair that reached her mid-back and spent a lot of her time exploring the forests outside of town for more inspiration. My father was the highly respected police chief in the town. He always hoped that I would one day follow in his footsteps, but I wanted a different future. I wanted to be an icon for children everywhere. I wanted to be a soldier, a warrior, and a master. I wanted to be a Pokémon trainer.

"What's this, Dad," I asked when he gave me the present. It was a box, wrapped up in red and white striped paper, with a purple bow placed on the top. There was no tag, and the box was just a simple cube. It had no distinguishing marks at all.

"Son," he started, "I know what it feels like to dream of something. I don't want you to ever give up on your dreams. I only want what's best for you, and the life of a Pokémon trainer isn't an easy one. Your mother and I won't be able to support you forever, you know. Eventually you'll need some money for yourself, and that's something that is hard to come across as a trainer. Only the real bigshots can make money on their own out there as a Pokémon trainer." All of this information was nothing new to me. My father would tell me all the time the risks of being a Pokémon trainer.

"I know, Dad," I replied, itching to open my present. However, excitement had fallen after his speech. I assumed inside the box was a badge or something to try and steer me not his path, rather than my own. All my friends were playing with their new Pokedexes, which I could only stare at and admire. "I know you want me to be like you," I started, "but I know if I become a trainer, I can be famous and make lots of money. Enough to support all of us. You can even retire!" My Dad chuckled and stood up straight, after leaning over to give me my present.

"I hope that comes true, son," he added. "However, your not going anywhere without a Pokémon of your own. So you'll need one before you think about being a trainer at all."

"Yeah," I said excitedly, "I can't wait. I'm thinking I'll head to Pallet right when I turn 10 and pick up one of those three starters. I'm thinking a squirtle, because strategically I'll be one-upping all those kids that think charmander is so cool."

"Well, it's good to see your actually putting some thought into this, Brian," he said back to me. "I know how much your friends have been flaunting their Pokedexes around… so I thought I'd help even the score." Suddenly this moment became the best one of my life. Could my Dad really have gotten me a Pokedex? After all the months I spent begging him for one? I had been dying to look at all the known species out there and stat learning everything I could about them. I put the gift down and stared tearing the paper off of it.

"No way!" I kept screaming over and over. "You didn't! Did you?" Finally the paper was off and the plain box was revealed. I quickly tore it open and looked inside. I reached into the darkness, but instead of feeling the small rectangle I was searching for… I found something else. It was a smooth metal surface, like a Pokedex, but it was… round. I pulled out a ball, about the size of a grapefruit and stared at it. I had only seen them on TV, but never in real life, let alone held one. It was red on the top half, and white on the bottom, with that legendary piece of technology in the middle, separating them.

"Happy birthday, son," my Dad said proudly.

"It… it's a Pokeball," I barely mouthed out. "Dad… do you know what I could do with this? I could catch a Pokémon with this Dad! I could start my team right now! I could do it!"

"Take it easy, Brian," he butted in. "It's illegal for children under the age of ten to go out and catch wild Pokémon. As a police chief, I can't allow you to do that." Suddenly my dreams were dampened yet again. Here I was, holding the key to my dreams in my palm, and I wasn't allowed to use it.

"But Dad!" I yelled. "What am I supposed to do with a Pokeball if I can't use it to catch anything?" My father was about to answer, when suddenly the Pokeball began to quiver in my hand. I stared at it, wondering if it was defective in any way. Suddenly it jumped from my hand and flew into the air. It split in half and opened wide, as a blinding white light bathed the area around us. I fell onto my backside, barely managing to stay sitting upright. I wanted to shield my eyes from the light, but couldn't bring myself to look away. The light shot to the ground like lightning and made a glowing sphere. The ball fell back to Earth, but I was in too much awe to catch it again. It hit the ground next to my knee and rolled away. Instead I stared at the light as it morphed and began to take shape. Once a silhouette was created, the light started fading away until there was nothing left but a creature standing before me. It was about a foot and a half tall and stood on four legs. It was covered in spikes and its skin was made up of extremely small scales. It was a purple color with blue spots covering its body and bright blue eyes. I was in total shock. Not only had my father given me an actual live Pokémon, but I had never seen one this species before.

"Son," my Dad began, "this is your new partner. This is Nidoran." I looked at Nidoran who gave me a few questionable looks as well.

"A Nidoran?" I asked. My Dad nodded and knelt down next to the creature. He pet it a few times, being careful of its many spikes.

"You have to take extra precaution with him, son," he replied. "These spikes are very venomous. One prick, and you'll be sick for days." Nidoran started to purr as my Dad continued to pet it. "Wouldn't worry too much, though. Nidoran have a way of avoiding stinging people that they like." My Dad looked at me and threw me a bag filled with small brown pellets. Nidoran immediately lit up and jumped at me. He tackled me to the ground and stood on top of me, as he began nibbling on the treats all around me. I started laughing and Nidoran started nudging me for more. I pet him a few times, feeling how hard, yet smooth his skin was. His tiny tail started wagging and I looked up at my Dad in pure bliss.

"He likes me!" I yelled. "He wants to be my friend!" My Dad smiled and started laughing.

"I have a feeling that you two will be friends for a long time," he stated. I continued to pet Nidoran as he ran around me, almost skipping. I immediately jumped up and ran down the road to show my friends, with Nidoran following close behind. This was the best moment I can remember sharing with my father. Twelve years later, I wouldn't have many moments like this anymore.

Now I live at the police station, not far from my original home. Did I end up living my father's dream?... not exactly. I've been training Pokémon my whole life, while still upholding my father's dream of protecting the people of this town. This is how I earn money… this is how I earn my fame… and this is how I'm going to get my revenge. I'm going on a hunt… a bounty hunt. I'm on the hunt for a Pokémon that has 50,000 dollars on his head. I'm on a hunt for a Pokémon named Jack. I'm on a hunt for the Pokémon that murdered my father.


	2. Target 1: Jack Part 1

It started just like any other day in the headquarters. I was sitting at the break table fiddling with a pencil while other officers paced back and forth, grabbing files and making small talk with one another. Most days were plagued by boredom like this. Honestly, I don't even know why I bother going to the station anymore. Every now and again the new Chief, Harrison, will call me in about another priority target. I've had over twenty missions thus far, and not one has gone unaccomplished. Also, to give me even more credit, not a single target had to be killed. Recently my work has started to dip into more of a CSI thing, which is less like the television shows than I originally thought. Not to mention seeing a dead body for real can leave you breathless, when it didn't even faze you on the big screen. I was called into the station today to investigate a body that was found just outside of town. Harrison was finishing some paperwork before we would head out and join the rest of the investigators at the scene. I had a certain specialty for indentifying whether the crime was committed by a human or a Pokémon, and if it was the latter, indentifying what species the Pokémon was.

I was in my regular bounty hunter attire, which basically served no purpose other than making me look badass. It was a short-sleeved black coat that went all the way down to my ankles. I had on steel-toe combat boots and gloves that covered everything but my fingertips. With me I carried a standard 9mm pistol and my trusty Spas-12 combat shotgun strapped around my back. I was leaning back in a chair with my feet up on a table in front of me. I drummed my fingers on the table, waiting for the go ahead from Harrison. I eventually found myself day-dreaming about being a Pokémon master, just like in my younger days. I was finally snapped out of the trance by an officer approaching me with a cup of coffee. His name was Rick Kashley, a veteran officer in Ivory Hills. He took a sip from the mug and grunted a little.

"You know," he started as he nodded towards the window, "he's going to kill those kids one of these days." I looked out the window and saw several of the town's children huddled around a giant monster behind the station. The beast was around ten feet tall and was a deep purple color. He had giant blue ears and spikes that covered his entire body. The monster stood on two legs, which supported a massive tail and two huge muscular arms, capable of easily crushing a vehicle. I watched as one of the kids jumped onto the creatures legs and tried wrestling it. The monster roared playfully and lifted the child up, throwing him into the air a little before catching him again and setting him down. I chuckled and grabbed a coffee mug of my own, which was sitting on the table before me.

"Who… King?" I asked. "He's a big pushover. Believe me, I've had him since I was eight." I took a sip of coffee and set the mug back down. "He was just a little Nidoran back then. Now look at him. A Nidoking… and damned if he isn't the strongest son-of-a-bitch around here." Rick laughed and sat down in the chair next to me.

"You're not concerned at all that he might accidentally hurt one of them?" he asked, concerned. I lifted my legs off the table and leaned forwards.

"Listen up, Rick," I started, "I've been with King for twelve years, and have only been stung once. He's never hurt anyone before, unless I tell him too. He's nothing but a big, purple babysitter. Like Barney, really."

"Still, I don't know if he's really the best one to be playing with the children. Why don't you let any other members of your team play around? Why doesn't Hitmonlee like to go out there and have a good time?" I laughed and leaned backwards again.

"Let's just say Hitmonlee isn't exactly the most social Pokémon I own. The only reason he sticks with me is because he owes me one. I saved his life from those two Gastly's that made their home around here. If it wasn't more me, his entire brain would've been their breakfast."

"Okay, ladies!" yelled Harrison as he marched into the room. He looked a the window and saw King with his hands over his eyes, like he was playing hide-and-seek with the little kids. Harrison moved to the window and cracked it open. "Hey! Dino! Quit the games and get your ass in gear." Harrison turned away from the window, but I could clearly see King lift his massive arm and point a finger in the air. I know Nidokings only have three horns for fingers… but that didn't stop me from teaching him how to flip people off. I started laughing and Harrison shot me a dirty look. "Are you coming or what?" I saluted to him and quickly took one last sip of my coffee.

"Yes your majesty! Your will be done!" Harrison sighed and put on his coat. We got outside where king was waiting for me. The neighborhood kids were all waving goodbye with depressed faces. King waved back and started trudging behind Harrison and I as we made our way into the woods around the town. Each step King took made the ground shake a little bit, which made me feel so confident. I mean c'mon, how would you feel if your best friend was a two ton walking tank?

"I think we could all use a stroll today," I commented after about ten minutes of walking. I reached to my belt and pulled out two Pokeballs. "Let's go guys. Time for some exercise." The Pokeballs opening to blinding lights, which each became a shape in front of me. The first was Hitmonlee, who I rescued from a duo of Gastly's that had a nasty run in the town a few years back. Since then, they seem to have moved on to new places. Hitmonlee was left with an extreme unsocial behavior and a long scar across his left eye. Next there was Vulpix, who was an absolute cutey. She would like walking with me and was a great friend to all the families in the town. Plus, nothing is more comfortable than when she curls up next to you when you are falling asleep. It's like having a fireplace snuggling up against you... as feminine as that sounds. They both got next to me and started walking. Vulpix was rubbing against my legs, and Hitmonlee has his arms folded, like he'd rather be somewhere else.

Since this is where the path to my revenge pretty much begins, I might as well clue you in on what exactly I do for a living, and how I came to be there. I'm your everyday bounty hunter. Things need to be caught or killed, and I'm your man… for a price. However, my father raised me right, so I don't exactly go around killing defenseless people for money. No, I work for the police force, hunting down thieves and murderers. These criminal are dangerous, and more than once I've found myself staring death in the face. Why is the job so treacherous? Well, I'm not chasing people… I'm chasing Pokémon. That's right. Everyone's so shocked when they hear that there could be such thing as an evil Pokémon… but it happens. Some Pokémon destroy, steal, and even murder people. Sometimes is something mentally wrong with the creature, in which a cure is not always an impossibility. However, far too often the cause is a human pulling the reigns. Pokémon do as they are trained, and if they are trained to kill, then that's what they'll do. My job is to find those Pokémon that have become more than a problem for the people around my town. When I find them, I either have to kill them, or capture them in a specially designed Pokeball, called a Chain Ball. The Chain Ball is like a mobile prison cell, which can hold even the strongest Pokémon without opening, until the prosecutor sees fit.

So how did I end up here? Why aren't I out with King becoming a Pokémon Master? The simple answer is my father. He never gave up on trying to steer me into police work. I never listened to him, and instead decided to head out on my own, to become the master I always knew I could be. Nidoran evolved when I was 12 and was already in Fuscia City. By age 14 I still didn't have any badges… why? Because I got involved with a whole different crowd. I became a member of a group dedicated to battling with only one Pokémon each, and seeing how strong they could make it. Nidorino never failed me, and he managed to decimate everyone… every time. Things were going great, until I got a phone call from my mother, instructing me that I needed to come home immediately… but she wouldn't tell me why. I didn't want to question it, but I could hear in her voice that something was definitely wrong. I raced to get home, but the quickest route was through Mt. Moon. I was almost through that dark cave, when I was ambushed by a pack of Zubats and Golbats. They were notorious killers in the area to whomever disturbed their nest. I thought I was a goner… until Nidorino happened upon a strange glowing rock in the cave. Before I knew it, I was the proud owner of a Nidoking, who quickly ran to my side and managed to fight the bats off. We escaped and made it back to Ivory Hills. When I arrived my mother was waiting for me… but not my father. I remember everyday what she told me about the murder. He had fiery red eyes, and his armored shell was a deep black. My father's body was indentified only by the suit he was wearing, because his face was far beyond recognition. The murderer was named Jack, like Jack the Ripper, due to the severe slash marks all over my father's body. The species of Pokémon was never indentified, and the black body is unlike anything yet known in the Pokémon universe. I joined this bounty hunting job to try and find this murderer, and give him a little payback. Now, years later, another body has been found with similar wounds… and the chief suspects that Jack is to blame.

"Watch your step, Born," Harrison muttered. I ducked under the yellow caution tape as we neared the site.

"Vulpix, return," I said quietly. I held out her Pokeball and that signature beam of red light shot out and hit Vulpix. She dematerialized into nothing but a red mist and seeped back into the Pokeball. Harrison shot me a strange look and I sighed.

"I don't like Vulpix seeing things like this," I said quietly. Harrison nodded and continued on his way. I found Vulpix right after my father died. Unfortunately, she suffered the same fate as I did. Her parents were dead next to her when I found her crying in the woods. I took her home with me, rather than leaving a defenseless pup out in the woods all alone. She's one of my closest friends now, and I've never allowed her to battle. I don't know what I would do if she was injured.

"Well, here we are," Harrison called out. "Smells great doesn't it?" I nodded and coughed a little. Hitmonlee covered his nose… which I didn't even think he had. King stayed by the caution tape, unable to duck underneath it. Being the big sap he was, he couldn't bring himself to just break through it.

"It's a little slice of heaven," I mumbled. In front of me was a white sheet covering the body we were here to inspect. It was stained with red all over and a pale hand hung out from underneath. I looked away for a moment and took a deep breath. I turned around and held out another Pokeball. "Hitmonlee, return!" Hitmonlee broke apart into the red mist and disappeared inside the Pokeball.

"That bad, huh?" asked Harrison. I looked him in the eyes and then quickly changed my stared back to the body. Officers were marching around the murder site, searching for clues and taking countless photographs, while others stayed by the yellow tape, keeping curious citizens and news teams at bay. I knelt down next to the body and put a hand on the top of the sheet. I pulled it down and saw the relatively untouched face of a young woman, probably about 25 in age. The debriefing stated she was on her way back from Pallet Town to visit her family in Ivory Hills when she was attacked. To think I made the same trip countless times in my journey. Survivors guilt is something that you never want to deal with.

"Cause of death?" I asked sternly, not taking my eyes off the girl's face, which was locked in a constant state of fear.

"Blood loss," replied and officer on the scene. "She has several gashes along her body, and her left leg was completely severed off. The cut was clean, Brian, almost surgical in appearance."

"Do we have an ID on the killer?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, not yet, Mr. Born," he hesitantly replied. "Evidence suggests that this could be the work of Jack, but there just isn't enough consistency in his kills to prove it."

"Sir!" a voice cried out from the woods. Harrison and I looked up from the body and into the nearby trees. "Sir, we found something over here!" I quickly stood up and jogging into the trees. On the other side were two officers. One was standing to call us in, while the other took pictures of something on the ground. I pushed the first officer aside and looked down at the soft mud below us. In it was a clear indentation of where our killer used to be.

"A footprint?" asked Harrison. I knew he was looking at me, but I just kept staring at the new clue to this mystery. "Any chance you can tell what we're dealing with here, Born?" I sighed and knelt down next to the officer with the camera. I looked closer at the footprint and shook my head.

"Not from this alone," I replied. "We're dealing with a Pokémon alright, but its footprint is too basic. It has a wide pad with three toes on it. Could be a wide variety of things. Could be Hitmonlee for all we know. Besides the track is starting to fade already." I stood up and folded my arms. I shook my head again and turned away. "Whether it's Jack or not, we don't have anything as far as I'm concerned."

"Look, Born," Harrison began, "I know this vendetta against Jack is the number one thing on your mind, but you need to take it easy. Don't let your anger blind you from what's important." I looked at him and sighed. "There may not be a lot here, but I'll be damned if there's nothing we can do to find the thing that killed that woman." I looked back over at the bloodstained sheet, barely visible through the trees in front of us.

"You're right, Harrison," I said quietly. "I'm sorry. I just get so worked up whenever I hear that he may be back. A huge step for me would be just knowing what Jack was. Knowing how to take him down… if I ever meet him, face-to-face."

"Well, aren't you going to be happy, then?" asked a voice behind us. Harrison and I turned to see another officer behind us, holding something in his hands. It was a dim shade of gray and looked like an old scrap of metal.

"What the hell is that junk?" asked Harrison.

"Something our friend left behind," the officer replied. I questionably reached out and grabbed the object. It was smooth, but not metallic. It had almost a plastic feeling to it. It felt old to the touch, and extremely brittle.

"So what is it, Born?" Harrison demanded, impatiently.

"It's armor, sir!" the officer yelled out. "Whatever Pokémon we're dealing with, it's armored."

"So what's your point?" asked Harrison. "Lots of Pokémon have armor. For God's sake, a Magnemite is nothing but a floating piece of armor!"

"What makes this so special?" I asked, changing the tone of the conversation.

"That fact that you're holding it," he replied. I looked at the armor again, and suddenly realized what he meant.

"It fell off," I said quietly. Harrison looked between the Officer and I and threw his hands into the air.

"Enough bullshit!" he yelled. "What are you two morons getting at?"

"It shed its armor, Harrison!" I yelled back. I threw the piece to Harrison and stared back down at the footprint.

"Shed?" he asked.

"Damn right," I replied. "Finally indentified. Jack… is a bug." Harrison gave the armor back to the officer and shooed him away. He put a hand on my shoulder and patted me a few times.

"Okay, okay," he began. "First off, we can't be sure that this is Jack. Nothing we have targets an individual Pokémon. Second, you think a bug Pokémon did something like that to a human? That was either a big Beedrill, or one seriously deranged Metapod, kid." I snapped back to Harrison and stared into his eyes.

"It's Jack!" I yelled. When a bug Pokémon molts it leaves behind its old skin that doesn't fit anymore. Over time the old skin decays and fades away. In that duration the color fades… but never changes. That piece of armor was gray… meaning whoever it originally belonged to is black. Second, look at the footprint. There's only two bug Pokémon known to man than have three toes. Pinsirs have two in front and one in back, but this footprint has all three toes facing forward." Harrison was silent and thought for a moment.

"So what are you saying?" asked Harrison. "You know what Jack is?" I put on a small smile and nodded. I could almost see Jack standing in front of me, and now I had broken his best defense… mystery.

"Jack's a one of a kind, Harrison. Somewhere in the woods out there… we got a black Scyther."


	3. Target 1: Jack  Part 2

I was sitting alone, a few hours after we found the evidence near the murder site. I was just sitting there, thinking, reflecting… plotting. I was outside the police station, and the sun had just hit high noon. I was running today's discovery over and over in my head, seeing if there were any holes in my theory… and there were. The odds of a black Scyther out there are extremely slim, but not impossible. There have been cases of Scyther that are a different shade of green, which some people call "shiny," but never something to this effect. If there is a black Scyther out there, it's being extremely stealthy, because no prior reports of such a creature have ever risen.

I played scenarios over and over in my head. Trying to think of any reasonable explanation for a murderous Scyther. When a Pokemon is a different color than the rest of its kind, it can lead to it becoming a stray from the group. Pokemon usually travel in packs and like to hunt and live as a team. However, they are very specific on who can be in this group, and if a Pokemon is different from them, it is usually ostracized. I'm assuming Jack is no different, which may have led to his murderous nature. The black coloration may also cause food to be scarce, as his camouflage is severely crippled. Perhaps humans were the only thing that he could catch with this coloration, but that doesn't answer a major question. If he is killing for food… why isn't anything eaten on the victims? I had only one option if I wanted to know for sure. I had to find Jack, and find out for myself.

I knew an area nearby, where Scyther had made a nest. People rarely go over there, because there's nothing more vicious than a mother Scyther protecting her young. However, killings were extremely rare, due to the fact that Scyther are usually noble creatures that seem to value life. Most Pokemon that live in groups tend to be very caring for other individuals, and Scyther often give many warning signals before attacking. I've even heard tales of the alpha male Scyther approaching the intruders and shooing them away himself. To put it in perspective, you have a much greater chance of being killed by a Weedle sting than a Scyther.

"Nido?" King questioned as he walked towards me. I looked at King and sighed. I can't really understand what King ever says to me, but I usually figure it out. The strange thing is, King always seems to understand every single thing I say to him, just like every other Pokemon I've ever met.

"I'm fine, King," I replied. "It's just a weird feeling, you know? Breaking a mystery I've lived with my entire life. Every time I think about Jack, I just… I just regret it, you know? I regret leaving on my journey. If I was at home when Jack…" I got silent for a moment as memories of that day rushed back to me, faster than I liked "…when it all happened, I might have been able to stop him." I got really silent again… in fact everything did. There was no wind, no children running around, no cars driving by… just silence. "And even if I couldn't… maybe… Jack could've taken me instead." King gave out a short, sympathetic roar before slowly approaching me. "Sometimes I think my Dad would've been much happier… and alive… if I had followed his path instead." King reached out with his gigantic arm and surprisingly gently touched my jacket pocket. I looked down to where he was pointing and then gave him another confused look. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. King stuck out his finger and flipped the wallet open. He pointed to the picture right in the front and roared lightly.

"King," he said quietly. I smiled and nodded my head. It was an old photograph in the front of my wallet. It was taken right before I left on my Pokemon journey. The photo was of me and my father with Nidoran in front of us.

"You're right, King," I said quietly. "My father would be proud of what I've become." I looked out into the woods across the road from the police station and listened in the absolute silence. In the distance I could hear the calls of faraway Pokemon. They were screaming their names, almost in pride. The Raticate and Spearows had the loudest cries, and had a tendency to wake up the town early in the morning. However, behind the loudest Pokemon, a fainter cry could be heard. The distinct articulation of a Scyther cry. I continued to stare at the endless trees in front of me and sighed. I slowly stood up and tucked my wallet away.

"Nido?" King asked. I reached down to my belt and pulled out the two Pokeballs I always carried with me. I threw them to the ground, letting Himonlee and Vulpix materialize in front of me. The Pokeballs flew back to my hands, by some technology I didn't even try to understand. Hitmonlee and Vulpix turned and looked at me with wondrous eyes.

"C'mon guys," I said quietly. "We're not going to make any progress, unless we go find out where this Scyther is. And to find a Scyther… we'll have to ask a Scyther." I started walking forward and made my way into the woods, with all three of my Pokemon behind me.

"We must be getting close," I said quietly. As we passed through the trees, there started to be less and less wild Pokemon in the area. Soon the signs of the Scyther colony became apparent. There were large gashes out of trees and rocks where the Scyther had been sharpening their blades. "Keep close to one another," I instructed. "We're entering their territory. Scyther are very protective, so don't just go running towards their den. And whatever you do, never…" I was cut short in my speech by some rustling in the bushes next to us. I looked back at King and then toward the bush again. I saw Hitmonlee get in a fighting stance out of the corner of my eye. I put up my hand to take it slow and approach the bush. I reached inside and parted the leaves to peer inside. Inside there was a small creature crawling playfully inside the braches. It was a green Pokemon, around the size of Vulpix. It looked up at me with young and innocent eyes before opening its mouth wide.

"Scyther!" it cried out in a high whiney voice. I quickly realized what had just happened. This Scyther, it was a member of the colony… but it was a baby.

"Oh God," I muttered quietly. Suddenly the trees behind me came to life and started shaking violently. The cries of Scyther filled the air around me. I slowly turned and looked into the branches, just in time to see the leaves light up with the shimmering blades of the Scyther colony.

"Nidoking!" King screamed at me. I turned towards him and saw the mother Scyther rocketing through the air towards me. I braced for impact as the Scyther tackled me and took me with her. We careened through some bushes and fell into an open area. We were in a big field, with several caves behind me. I was now in the epicenter of the Scyther home. I was on their territory… in the worst way. I rolled across the dirt from the tackle as the Scyther flipped onto its feet in front of me. I tried shuffling away, but every time the Scyther would leap in front of me, almost faster than I could see.

"Look, look!" I yelled, putting my hand up at the mother Scyther. "I didn't mean any harm! I just need to talk to you! I don't want to hurt you or your baby!" The Scyther raised its massive arm in the air and swung downwards at me. I rolled to the side, barely avoiding the razor edge blade of the Scyther.

"Scyther!" she screamed. She lifted her other arm and took another shot. I slid backwards and managed to avoid that attack as well. The Scyther lifted its leg and stomped down on my foot, preventing me from moving. The Scyther lifted its arm and I braced for the pain.

"Lee!" I heard come from the trees. Hitmonlee leapt right over me and threw a powerful kick to the Scyther's chest. It stumbled backwards and glared at Hitmonlee. Hitmonlee stood between me and Scyther, ready to jump again.

"Hitmonlee!" I yelled. "Scyther's half flying type. Use your ice kick, now!" Hitmonlee's leg was surrounded by a glowing blue light as he jumped into the air. He took a swing and hit Scyther in the side of the head. Scyther screamed in pain and fell to one knee. Hitmonlee landed and clenched his fists. His leg started to glow as he began to load up another ice kick. I knew this attack would end it… until something burst from the trees to our right. Hitmonlee was slammed in the side by another Scyther, but this one was different. This Scyther was a dark green with patches of red between its armor. It was also bigger than the other Scyther and screamed in a lower pitch. Hitmonlee flew to the side and skidded across the ground.

"Hitmonlee!" I screamed. The Scyther turned to me and slowly approached me. He turned to look at the mother Scyther, making sure she was okay, before once again focusing on me. He knelt down over me and put his blade to my throat.

"Scyther," he said grimly. I gulped and looked him in the eye.

"You," I said quietly, "you're the Alpha … aren't you?" The Scyther stared straight through me, before slowly nodding. He took the blade from my neck and pointed it to the trees where I came from. King was standing in the trees with Vulpix, motioning me to come with them. I slowly got to my feet and looked at the Alpha. I sighed and squared off with him.

"No," I replied, "I'm not leaving." The Alpha Scyther tilted his head to the side and looked at me, wondrously.

"Scyther?" he asked. Like he was asking "are you crazy?" I broke the eye contact with him, to show some respect.

"I'm looking for a Scyther," I said softly. "I need to find him, and you're the only one who might know where he is." The Alpha continued staring at me and then looked at all the other Scyther around us as they started to walk in from the treeline. The Alpha turned again and looked at the cave they used as shelter. He lifted his head in the air and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Scyther!" he shouted. I cringed at how loud the cry was and then turned my eyes to the cave. I saw a shadow appear in the cave and slowly make its way to the entrance. The shape of a man came into view. He stepped out of the cave and into the light. The man had a full beard and long brown hair. He was wearing sunglasses and had a stern look on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked. "What is your purpose here?" I stared at the man, wondering why he was out here with these Scyther, and how he managed to survive.

"I'm Brian Born," I replied. "I'm here investigating a crime." The man approached me and stood only inches from me.

"My name is Darren," he stated. "I'm the protector of this clan of Scyther. There's no crime around here, except the atrocities against these noble creatures. So if you'll kindly be on your way, we'd all appreciate it." He started to turn away, but I reached out and grabbed his shoulder before he could. I spun him back towards me and stared into his eyes.

"My father was murdered by a Scyther!" I yelled. "I have the right to ask a few questions!" The Alpha Scyther stepped towards us, ready to attack me if I made any more moves. Darren stared into my eyes with an angry expression.

"Scyther kill only in self-defense," he said sternly. "The fault only lies with the trainer or intruder that breaks in to fight or kill the Scyther here."

"I understand. But I'm looking for a very specific Scyther. None of the Scyther here fit the description."

"What gives you cause to make that claim? Most Scyther are uniform in appearance, apart from minute differences." I sighed and looked back at the Alpha Scyther. I knew the different armor color on him was what people called "shiny," but he wasn't who I wanted.

"Are you saying that you don't know of any Scyther who look different than normal ones?" I asked. I looked back at Darren with very serious eyes. "Maybe another color, or something?" Darren's angry expression wiped away and he almost appeared concerned.

"Scyther?" asked the Alpha as he titled his head towards Darren. I now knew that they weren't telling me something. I had to find out what.

"Perhaps a Scyther that's… I don't know… black?" I added. Darren slowly reached up and pulled away his sunglasses. His eyes were wide open and staring directly at me. I looked to the side, to also see the Alpha staring, fearfully. None of the Scyther around me spoke, and my Pokemon looked just as confused as I was.

"How do you know about the black Scyther?" Darren demanded. I looked back at him, knowing my answer would only raise the tension around me, but I had no choice.

"I think my father was murdered by him," I replied solemnly. Darren closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. He opened them again and looked at the Alpha, before nodding and turning back to me.

"Come with me," he said quietly. He turned and started walking to the edge of the Scyther home. I started to follow and then quickly turned around. I motioned King, Hitmonlee, and Vulpix to stay behind. I was hoping that I wouldn't need them. I returned to Darren who was now on the very edge of the Scyther den, which was the sheer dropoff of a cliff. Beyond the cliff was a hilly terrain, with one large hill in the center. The hills had very little grass on them, and the tops were littered with rocks and caves.

"Scyther," Darren started quietly, without making eye contact, "tell stories to one another, by cutting drawings into rocks and dirt." I looked at Darren as he spoke, but he simply kept his eyes on the horizon, past the hills before us. "One legend they tell is of the original pack Leader. That Alpha was the father of the current one, whom we were just with. He had a litter of three Scyther. One female, and two male. One of the brothers was born a dark green, while the other, the legend says, was born black. This Scyther had glowing red eyes and was black as coal, both is appearance… and in heart. He grew up to be nearly twice the size of an average Scyther, and for his strength he was named the successor to the Alpha. Knowing this, the black Scyther killed his father, to take his place. The pack found out what he had done, and exiled him, giving his brother the title of Alpha Male." Darren closed his eyes and shook his head, as thoughts seemingly filled his mind. "The black Scyther is a fearsome creature… a thing of legend. But I have seen him, with my own eyes. He comes out at night, when he can sink into the shadows. Normal Scyther are herbivores, eating both small bug Pokemon and the rich vegetation that grows around here, but he only eats meat. I've seen him take down a bull Tauros, almost effortlessly. He also terrorizes this group of Scyther, by stealing their young in the night, and leaving nothing but empty shells." A small tear left Darren's eye, which he quickly wiped away.

"I have to stop him," I said quietly, as I looked out where Darren had been staring the entire story. "He's moved on, Darren. He's killing humans now. I need to stop him before he does it again."

"The black Scyther is not a murderer," Darren said slowly. "At least not on his own." Darren finally looked at me and sighed. "I fear someone has found him before you did." Darren silently looked back at the dens. "Someone is telling him to do this." I shook my head in disgust at this supposed person.

"Where can I find the black Scyther?" I asked, fixated on ending this. Darren turned back around and looked over the cliff. He lifted his arm and pointed at the large hill in the center of the terrain in front of us.

"He lives at the top of that hill," he replied. "At the peak there is a cave. He lives inside the cave the blend into the shadows, even in the day. You'll have to lure him out into the sun. That's the only way you're going to be able to stop him. Otherwise… you're on his turf." I put on a small smile and turned around. I saw King and Vulpix playing with the Scyther back at the dens. I chuckled and then turned to look at the giant hill over the cliff.

"That's what you think," I said quietly. Darren shot me a confused look, but I paid it no attention. "And if I'm lucky… that's what Jack will think as well."

[Author's note]

Hey guys, just wanted to urge you to please write some reviews of what you think so far. This is only my third fanfiction, so I'm really looking for some feedback on how you feel about it. And to anyone who is asking themselves, yes, there are only the first 151 Pokemon in this story. Will I include ones from other generations? Maybe... but on very rare occasions. Also I will be posting drawings from this story on DeviantArt at some point. When I do I'll be sure to post the link in another author's note. A drawing of Jack is just about finished, so be watching for it. The Jack series of Seek and Destroy will be wrapped up in the next chapter. I have the next three targets planned out as well, so stick around to see what happens. Thanks guys.

- Jeremy


	4. Target 1: Jack Part 3 Final

It was a long hike to the peak of that hill, but it was worth it… at least that's what I kept telling myself. King and I clawed our way up sheer cliffs and crumbling rock walls, each time risking tumbling back to the bottom. Anyone with a brain, or something to live for would have turned away and gone back to the bottom. I wasn't one of those people. I didn't have something to live for, but rather had something worth dying for. Fingers were bloody, and muscles were aching, but I couldn't stop now. The sun had finally dropped below the horizon, making the area around us plummet into darkness. Now we were on Jack's playing field… and we were the game.

"Nido… king…" King breathed deeply behind me. I lifted myself over another rock and rolled onto the ground. I flipped onto my back and stared at the stars as I started catching my breath.

"Yeah I know you're tired!" I called out. "I'm tired, too, but then again I'm not a two-ton tank made of armor and muscle. What's your excuse?" I looked up in time to see King flip me off before collapsing next to me. The ground shook when he landed, making small rocks roll in all directions. "Okay, we'll rest for a while. We're going to need to be feeling pretty damn good before we run into Jack." King grunted and hit his fist against his armor a few times.

"King!" he yelled condescendingly. I snickered and closed my eyes.

"Hey, don't get cocky," I muttered back. "Keep in mind that when you became a Nidoking, you took on the burden of becoming half ground-type. That means flying-types have a distinct advantage over you, of which Jack is. Hitmonlee's ice and fire kicks are going to be our best bet." King grunted and closed his eyes. I know he sometimes misses being a Nidorino, when he was smaller and considerably quicker than he was now. In fact, I sometimes miss my little Nidoran that I could play with and pick up. King is still playful, don't get me wrong, I just miss not being worried about death when he gets excited. My new playful Pokemon is Vulpix… but still burn wounds are an issue. Hitmonlee would just take a few of my teeth out if I even tried to mess around with him. I guess that's what happens to all trainers, though. You're Pokemon can't stay the same forever.

"Nido?" asked King. I had to open my eyes and look at him in order to figure out what he was asking. Otherwise it could range from 'how much further?' to 'are you scared?' He was looking at my jacket, making me look as well. I couldn't figure out what he was asking, however.

"I don't understand," I replied. I ended up saying that a lot to him. He was used to it though, it's not my fault I can't understand everyone all the time. King reached over and pointed a finger at the badge on the inside of my jacket. Then he shrugged his shoulders and pointed back to Ivory Hills.

"Why didn't I tell them I was going here?" I asked for confirmation. King nodded and I sighed. "If I told them where I was going, what I was doing… they would've stopped me. If there's anything Harrison doesn't want me doing, it's going after Jack." King nodded and slowly got back to his feet. He pointed to the summit and cracked his neck. I smiled and sat up. "Second wind, huh?" King reached out his massive hand, which I grabbed. He easily lifted me off the ground and set me down on my feet. I got ready to begin climbing again, when I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me. I quickly turned in the direction of the sound and put a hand on my pistol. King got ready for the worst, as the spikes all over his body grew sharper and turned a bright green color at the tips. I put my hand up to King and slowly approached the bush. I pulled out my pistol and aimed it into the leaves in front of me.

"Come on out!" I yelled. "You've got no where to go!" I reached out and parted the leaves. I immediately jumped backwards when a shadowy figure fell from the bush. I prepared to squeeze the trigger, but managed to hold back, and rightfully so. The body fell before me and lied motionless on the ground. I looked back at King and then turned to the body once more. I tucked the pistol away and walked towards the corpse. I knelt down next to it and turned it over. The cold texture was so similar to everything I had been grabbing on the way up the hill. The victim was small with massive arms and craters over its entire body.

"King?" King asked as he slowly approached me. I sighed when I saw the eyes of the creature were a pale white, locked in a state of fear.

"It's a Geodude," I said quietly. I further examined it, which was hard in the dark of night. There were several pieces chipped away from the Geodude, with the shining quartz internals glimmering from within. "This is a whole new kind of beast. It just doesn't make any sense. How could something that is bug and flying-type take out something that is a rock-type?" I rolled the Geodude over and saw some initials chiseled into his side. I knew the deal with rock Pokemon. When a trainer owned a rock Pokemon, it was common nature for them to carve something into their side. It didn't hurt the Pokemon, and the mark mysteriously remains through almost all evolutions.

"This Geodude belonged to a trainer," I muttered to myself. "This was someone's Pokemon… someone's friend." I turned around and looked at King, who was in silence mourning the fallen Pokemon. I stared at him, thinking about the corpse lying only inches away from me. I took a deep breath and put my hand on my pistol. "King!" I called out.

"Nido?" he asked as he looked up. I sighed and looked away from him.

"Maybe it would be best if you just turn back," I said quietly. "I don't want you to go any further." King tilted his head and slowly started walking towards me. "Enough!" I screamed. He stopped and looked at me, with a fearful and confused gaze. I hardly ever raised my voice to King, and when I did, I felt just terrible about it. I turned away, not subjecting myself to that heart-wrenching stare anymore. "I can't let you get hurt. Just please, go back." I took a step towards the next stretch to the peak, and heard footsteps following behind me. "King! Don't follow me! Just turn around and go home!" The footsteps stopped and I started walking again.

"King?" a voice called out.

"No!" I yelled back. "You'll be safer back there. I can handle this." I was about ten feet away when King's voice called out for me again. I sighed and slowly turned around to look at him one last time. For a moment, he almost seemed like a little Nidoran again. He had the puppydog eyes going, and it seemed like he was almost on the verge of tears. I was looking down on him from my position higher on the slope. The other thing that made him seem small was the bush behind him, which pretty much dwarfed him. It was like looking into the past at my Nidoran once again. Suddenly, sadness and nostalgia collapsed into fear and concern. I watched in horror as the bush behind King formed two small red lights at its top. This was no bush behind King.

"King!" I yelled, with all I had. "Look out! Behind you! RUN!" King turned as the figure raised its giant arm and threw it downwards. King quickly dropped to his side, managing to save himself. The strike still clipped him in the arm, and I could hear King's armor crunch from the impact. Whatever this thing was, it was huge. It was at least three feet taller than King, and it was impossible to see what it was. I pulled out my pistol and aimed at the creature.

"Put your arms in the air!" I yelled. "Do it now, or I light you up!" The creature stared at me and tilted its head. I slowly lifted its arms into the sky, but never took its eyes from mine. I lifted my foot and carefully took a step forwards. For one moment I slightly lowered my weapon, in order to make it down the hill towards the beast, but I soon as I did, it vanished. I watched it amazement as it fired into the air, almost quicker than I could see. I lifted my pistol and fired round after round at the creature as it flew over my head and plummeted back down to Earth behind me. It landed only a few feet from me and spread its arms and wings wide to look more threatening… which it really didn't need to do. Its red eyes pierced the darkness and stared right through me. I aimed at its head and pulled the trigger, but the only thing that came was the depressing click of an empty weapon. I reached for my shotgun, but before I could the beast jumped forward and knocked me to the ground.

"Scyther!" it screamed in an extremely deep voice, almost like a roar.

"A scyther?" I yelled. The huge scyther lifted its massive blade into the air, which glimmered in the moonlight. It's generous calling that a blade, because it was enormous and serrated at parts like a hunting knife. This was it, face-to-faced with my father's killer… face-to-face with Jack… and it was already nearing its end. Jack prepared to slash downwards, when a missile came flying over my head and slammed into Jack's chest. Jack fell backwards and snapped back and forth like an insect as he tried to get back up. I turned and saw King with his arm extended, no doubt the cause of the Horn Attack that just saved my life. I got to my knees and reached to my belt.

"Go Hitmonlee and Vulpix!" The two bright lights shot in front of me and formed my team. "Hitmonlee, give him hell!" I instructed. Hitmonlee nodded and prepared for battle. I quickly turned to Vulpix and pulled her close to me. I held her tightly and gave her one last hug. "You're grown up now, Vulpix. Good luck out there. Now please… run." I let go of Vulpix and pulled out my shotgun. When I stood up Hitmonlee had charged up a fire kick and was charging towards Jack. I stared in awe as Jack suddenly shook in his place and separated into three different Jacks. Hitmonlee stopped in his tracks and stared at the multiple foes.

"Hitmonlee?" he asked in confusion.

"He's using his Double Team!" I yelled. "Use Foresight and then follow up with a Fire Kick!" Hitmonlee squinted his eyes and a small red twinkle came from his pupils. He honed in on one of the three Jacks and took off. His foot was glowing a bright red and yellow in the darkness, lighting the surrounding area. Hitmonlee took a swing which collided with Jack's shoulder. The other two mirages faded away and the real Jack stumbled to his side. Hitmonlee loaded up another kick, but Jack was just too fast. He quickly spun around and swung in Hitmonlee's direction. The backside of his blade collided with Hitmonlee's face. He flew backwards and skidded across the ground. I ran to Hitmonlee's side and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him in. Before I could see if he was okay, Jack had crossed his blades in front of his face and was groaning loudly. He threw his arms apart, sending a blast of air forward. Rocks flew from the ground and shot towards us with deadly intent. I pulled Hitmonlee close and turned my back to Jack, hoping to take most of the attack. However, the sudden whirlwind attack ended and I was being hit with no rocks. I turned to see King standing between me and murderer, blocking the rocks which bounced off him like pebbles.

"King!" I yelled. "Used your Mega-Punch. Take him down!" King lunged forward and his hand was surrounded by a blinding white light. He threw his fist directly at Jack, who lifted his blades and cross them over his chest. King's fist collided with the blades, making a sound like a hammer hitting an anvil. The two stared into each other's eyes, in a constant match to see who would blink first. "His defense is too high!" I looked down at Hitmonlee and then back up to King. "King, quick! Tail Whip attack! Knock out his defense. Hitmonlee, hit him with an Ice Kick… and make it count!" Hitmonlee nodded and jumped into the air. King mustered up all his strength and shoved Jack away. He spun around and slammed his massive tail into Jack's arms. They flew apart, opening Jack up for Hitmonlee's prepared Ice Kick. Jack screamed in pain and slid backwards across the ground, his heel caught a rock and fell to his back in a heap. I reached for my shotgun and quickly got to my feet. I walked slowly towards the fallen Scyther, my finger already pressing the trigger halfway down.

"Scyther," it growled quietly. It slowly looked up and stared into my eyes. Its evil red stare pierced my mind, and flooded it with visions. I saw my mother collapsing to the ground at my father's funeral, and my dream of becoming a master shattering before my eyes. I lifted my gun and took careful aim at Jack's head.

"I've waited for this moment for years," I muttered. "I've had dreams, and pure desires to kill you." My hands shook in anticipation as I began to squeeze the trigger. Then the visions turned to that of my father, standing before me and slowly shaking his head. I stared at him… knowing in my mind he wasn't real, but ignoring him was a pure impossibility. I slowly lower my shotgun and reached to my belt. "But I'm better than that. I'm better than you, Jack." Jack started to move again and quickly moved he stare from the shotgun to my eyes. I reached to my belt and grabbed a chain ball. "This is too good for you," I whispered. I loaded up and threw the chain ball at Jack. It spun through the air and careened towards Jack's chest. Suddenly Jack faded into blurs and flashes, and was gone. The chain ball fell helplessly to the ground and rolled off the side of a steep cliff. I had just enough time to gasp before feeling the cold breath on the back of my neck. I spun around in time to take a vicious slash across my chest. I fell backwards, my shotgun flying from my grip. My hands instinctively covered my chest, but struggled to keep the blood from slipping through my fingers.

"Scyther!" Jack shouted into the air. He took a step forward, shaking pebbles off the ground in front of me. I could clearly see blood dripping off of his razor-sharp blades and falling into the dirt below. Crimson red blood. My blood. My father's blood. Jack stood over me and lifted his arm. I closed my eyes, taking my few precious seconds to release several prayers. I prayed for my Pokemon, for my best friends, praying they would be safe. I prayed for my mother, that she would be able to live with another heartbreak. Lastly, I prayed for forgiveness from my father… I failed him again. Suddenly, the air around began to grow hotter and hotter. The freezing temperatures of the night faded away into a blistering hot temperature. Sweat formed on my head and started to pour down my face. I opened my eyes in time to see a hailstorm of fire erupt from behind me and tear through the air over my head. It slammed into Jack's chest and the air was instantly filled with the stench of the burning armor. Jack screamed in pain and stepped away from me. His blades when into the air to try and cover his face from the firestorm. I turned around to see Vulpix standing behind me, releasing a power flamethrower. I stared in amazement at Vulpix's power, before realizing I had no time to wait around. Vulpix's shout became quieter, and the fire started to fade. I turned back around and saw Jack emerge from the fire, shouting in agony. His blades were glowing orange and his eyes were shining with rage. He lunged towards me in pure fury and prepared to swing. I braced for the impact, when Hitmonlee emerged from the darkness to my left. He unleashed an Ice Kick into Jack's stomach, stopping his momentum. Jack stepped backwards and received a powerful Mega Kick to his ribs. He flew away from the attack and slammed into a rock wall next to his cave. Before he could react, King was right behind him, with the massive horn on his head spinning violently. King lunged forward and buried his horn deep into Jack's back. Jack screamed in pain as King's venomous spike emerged from Jack's stomach. King reared his head back and tossed Jack through the air towards me. I had gotten back to my feet and was firmly holding my shotgun.

"Game over," I whispered. I took aim and fired at the flying Scyther. The shell hit Jack directly in the chest and neck, completely stopping his momentum and knocking him backwards. Jack fell onto his back and laid in a heap on the ground. Purple blood was leaking out of his body and forming a pool underneath him. I stared down at his body, amazed at what I was seeing. The legendary black Scyther, the murderer of my father was on the ground in front of me. Jack was breathing heaving and couldn't manage to move anymore. His limbs were all limp by his sides and his blades were started to cool down and return to their normal color. King stepped up to Jack and looked into my eyes. I looked back at King and slowly nodded. King lifted his leg and put his massive foot over Jack's head. I gave one last look at my father's killer before closing my eyes and hearing a massive crunch that must have traveled for miles. I reopened my eyes and stared out into the night. A huge mystery of my life was now closed and over. It was like a million pounds of weight was taken off of my shoulders. I slowly turned my head and stared into Jack's cave.

"Well done!" yelled a voice. I jumped at the sudden disturbance and turned towards the voice. I aimed my shotgun and prepared for another fight. "Woah!" the man yelled. "Calm down, I'm on your side." The man was wearing a black suit and tie, with a thin white moustache.

"Who are you?" I asked. "What are you doing up here?"

"I heard the commotion and the gunshots," he replied. "I'm an officer of the law." He pulled out his badge and showed it to us. "Detective Ryan Christopher Yuss, at your service. I understand you're also an officer, Mister Born." I nodded and slowly lowered my weapon.

"Why have I never heard of you before?" I asked, curiously. I knew everyone at my station, and in the surrounding towns, but never of this man.

"I'm from high up on the ladder my friend," he replied. "I see you've taken out Jack. Well done. He was a menace to society." I looked down at Jack and closed my eyes.

"I'm aware," I said quietly. Ryan shook his head and looked up into the night.

"Unfortunately, he is only the beginning." I snapped my head to Ryan in confusion and fear.

"Beginning?" I asked. "What does that mean?" Ryan sighed and looked into my eyes.

"Jack was a trained Pokemon, Brian," he stated. "Someone turned this Scyther into a killer."

"Do you know who?" I asked. Ryan shook his head and walked towards Jack.

"We don't know his name, location, appearance, or mannerisms," Ryan replied. "All I know is that he is out there, and this… is all the evidence we have." Ryan pointed to Jack's shoulder and I slowly stepped towards it. I knelt down next to the massive creature and looked carefully at his shoulder. Burned into it was a clear-as-day **M#**. I stared at the symbol and shook my head.

"Why?" I asked. "Why would someone raise a Pokemon this way?" Ryan looked at the ground and shrugged his shoulders.

"We may never know," he replied, "but he needs to be stopped. I need your help, Brian. You're the best there is, and I know you can stop this menace." I thought for a moment and looked up. I saw King standing over Jack, with Hitmonlee and Vulpix resting by his side. I looked at each one, before thinking back to the deceased Geodude, and the numerous faceless victims of this murderer. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"I'll do it," I replied. "Not for money, and not for fame." I looked back at King and stood up. "But for them. So they, and everyone else can be safe from this man." Ryan smiled and nodded his head.

"Then the hunt is on," he said quietly. "The hunt for a man who is faceless, nameless, and for all we know non-existent. The hunt is on for MissingNo."


	5. Target 2: Earthquake Machine Part 1

"You think a human was behind this?" Harrison screamed. "What evidence do you have to support there wasn't just something wrong with that beast?"

"Jack had a brand on his side," I replied. "Someone owned him, or at least they thought they did."

"Yeah, we've looked over this 'brand' you've been blabbering about. It's not exactly a name and address, Born. It's a letter and a symbol, completely and totally meaningless!"

"How else, Harrison!" I yelled back, starting to get angry at his stubbornness. "How else would Jack have gotten this mark on his shoulder? Why would someone brand a massive and deadly creature like that?"

"He wasn't always a giant, Brian," Harrison replied. "Someone might have done this when he was small, saw something as insane as a black Scyther and immediately jumped on the opportunity to call it their own. Did you ever consider that?"

"And did you ever consider how we discovered what Jack was? His armor fell off, he shed it. Any mark made on him wouldn't stay for long periods of time. Jack wasn't a rock, Harrison, he was a bug."

"Listen, Born. You're already on thin ice for going out there after I specifically told you not to. You were instructed to wait for further orders from our superiors, and you went after Jack anyways! Your reckless behavior is going to get you, or someone else, killed! I refuse to accept responsibility for it!"

"I had a superior with me, Harrison! I told you this!"

"Yeah, I ran a check on this mystery officer of yours. No one in Ivory Hills, or any city anywhere in Kanto knows about this guy. Ryan Christopher Yuss does not exist. Some asshole with a plastic badge played you for a fool and implanted these ideas in your head." Then, through the thick suspense in the room, a loud noise pierced the air. The phone on Harrison's desk began screaming for someone to answer it. Harrison's eyes never left mine as he slowly walked towards his desk. Finally he looked away and reached down to his telephone.

"Ivory Hills PD," Harrison said quietly. I looked back at the chair behind me and slowly sat down. I reached into my pocket and pulled Hitmonlee's Pokeball. I looked at it, rotating it in my hand before sliding it back into my pocket. Could Harrison be right? Was this constant obsession with Jack really be taking its toll on my sanity? Either way, Jack was gone. Whether or not he was being controlled by someone else… maybe it wasn't my problem anymore.

"How many?" Harrison yelled into the phone. "But what could possibly…? Yes, he's here but I don't think he's…" There was a long silence and Harrison had instantly gotten my attention back. "Very well, I'll send him up tonight." Harrison hung up the phone and stared silently at his desk. God only knew what thoughts were going through his mind.

"Harrison?" I asked slowly. "What's going on?"

"Viridian City," he replied slowly. "They've been attacked."

"Attacked? What do you mean? By what?"

"They don't know. An entire building has been leveled. Homes destroyed." I fell silent as Harrison dropped backwards into his chair and buried his forehead in his hand.

"Any casualties?" I solemnly asked. Harrison sat backwards, looking straight into my eyes. He reached into his desk, pulling something out of one of the drawers. He sighed and threw me a chain ball.

"Several," he replied. "People are reporting earthquakes… but there was no seismic information before it happened. Officers suspect that there may be a Pokemon related to the earthquake." I thought for a moment and looked out the window towards King, before looking back down to the chain ball.

"The Earthquake technique can be learned by any number of Pokemon, Harrison. Hell, even King knows how to do it. Believe me, there's no way one creature would be able to destroy a building in a single attack."

"Well, they want you up there to check it out no matter what. Remember, there was a massive school of Diglett and Dugtrio that went through the area a few years ago. It's possible they could be to blame." I nodded and shrugged my shoulders.

"Possible," I replied. "Improbable… and completely outrageous… but possible." Harrison nodded to me and then slowly got up and walked away. He went into his office, closing the door behind him and leaving me standing alone in headquarters.

The next thing I knew I was walked up the single dirt trail that led towards the Viridian Forest. It was the only route between Ivory Hills and Viridian City. I knew from experience that right next door to this forest was a massive cave. It was an old collapsed subway track that has been closed off. It was scheduled for demolition years ago, but now was renamed Diglett Tunnel. The tunnel is infested with Diglett, and their evolutionary cousin, Dugtrio. The pests managed to keep all of the construction workers away, and I've seen first hand their destructive power as they took an entire crane underground. That was a massive group… but that was still just a crane… not a building. I'd have to check all the soil underneath the city to see if a massive migration of Diglett and Dugtrio could have caused the quake. King and I reached the edge of the Forest and stared over the massive carpet of trees and bushes in front of us. King started to go inside, when I reached up and stopped him.

"Hold up, King," I began. "We're not walking through the Forest. No reason to waste time wading through thousands of bugs and newcomers out of Pallet Town. We've got a ride on its way." King turned his head back to the woods and gazed into the trees, where a puff of dust was slowly making its way towards us. Soon the image of a motorcycle came into view, the light on the front cutting through the darkness of the deep forest. I reached down to my belt and pulled out a Pokeball. King turned his head to look at it, before grimacing and looking away.

"King!" he yelled, displeased. I sighed and rolled the Pokeball around in my hand as the motorcyclist got even closer to us.

"That's my ride to Viridian, King," I began, "you're not exactly fitting on there. I know you don't like being in the Pokeball, but you don't really have a choice right now." King grumbled to himself as I pointed the Pokeball at him. King slowly faded to a shade of red and then dematerialized. The red mist left behind slowly seeped into the center of the Pokeball. I often wondered what the inside of a Pokeball was like. Scientists theorized that the inside was as close to nothingness as you could get. Pokemon claim that they feel nothing while inside a Pokeball, they see nothing, and they hear nothing. It's like they are asleep. When they emerge, they have no memory of being inside the ball. Usually Pokemon are very indifferent to being in a Pokeball, but some hate it, like King, and others enjoy it too much… we just call those ones 'lazies.' The motorcycle started to slow as it neared me. It was a white cycle, covered in distinctive blue police decals. The officer pulled to a stop in front of me and snapped down the kickstand on the bike.

"You Brian Born?" the officer asked. I slowly nodded and lifted a small bag I had with me. The officer reached up and pulled her helmet off. Her blue hair dropped down into place, which was shaggy and about shoulder length. She had on red lipstick and a light blue eye-shadow.

"Thanks for the lift, Jenny," I said to her as I threw my bag over my shoulder. She nodded to me and revved her motorcycle a few times.

"The least I can do for an enforcer like you, Born," she said with a smile. I stepped onto the bike, behind Jenny, as she put her helmet back on. She turned the bike towards the forest and stepped on the gas. Dirt kicked up behind us as we headed towards Viridian City.

"So!" I yelled over the motorcycle. "You don't think this was just a tremor or something? You really think that a Pokemon caused that much destruction?"

"Personally… no!" Jenny yelled back. "But we have no evidence otherwise. Seismographs came back with no spikes at all before it struck, which isn't normal activity for a natural quake. What do you think, Born?" I thought for a moment and looked at the passing forest, thinking of all the Pokemon hiding within.

"That does point towards a Pokemon attack," I replied. "Pokemon generate the Earthquake technique by vibrating their body at the same resonating frequency as the ground around them. This destabilizes it and causes the quake. But believe me, no single Pokemon is capable of generating a massive attack like this." Jenny was silent and hunched down closer to the handlebars.

"Let's see if you still believe that when you see our evidence," she said under her helmet. I didn't know if I misheard her or not… but if I didn't… then I was in for quite the discovery.

It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was so similar to the last evidence we found… and at the same time… nothing like it at all. It was embedded in the ground, almost a foot deep, and at least four feet long.

"Do you think it's legitimate, Born?" Jenny asked. I stared at the massive indentation in the dirt below and slowly shook my head.

"There's no way," I said quietly. "It's beyond improbable for anything to leave a footprint this large. No Pokemon in history has ever been recorded this size." Jenny fixed her cap and stood at the edge of the huge footprint, while I climbed inside… which sounds as ridiculous as it was.

"So you're saying it's impossible," Jenny remarked. "I knew it. I told them down at the precinct that there was absolutely no way." I took a few more measurements of the footprint and examined its shape a little longer.

"I said it was extremely improbable," I replied. I thought back to Jack, and how he was twice the size of any Scyther yet recorded. I stared down at the footprint, realizing that if this was legitimate… it was a whole new breed of monster. "Whatever this was… it has two toes on the front of its foot, which isn't the most common footprint in the Pokemon kingdom. Actually, there are only four I can think of at the moment. Two of them," I looked at Jenny, "being Magmar and Electabuzz, can't learn the Earthquake technique. That leaves only two suspects, which would be a Rhyhorn, and its evolutionary form, Rhydon." Jenny thought for a moment before looking to the left and shaking her head.

"Couldn't be a Rhyhorn," she stated. "This footprint clearly went heel-toe on the step, meaning this was most likely a two-legged animal."

"That's right," I realized. "Rhyhorn are quadrupeds. It's not until they evolve into Rhydon that they gain the ability to walk on two legs. Like King over there." King was still staring at the footprint, while sniffing the air around him for any trail of the attacker. Nidokings have an extremely high sense of smell, and can pick up scent trails many hours after the subject has left.

"Do you know what this footprint insinuates, Jenny?" I asked, nervously. She shrugged her shoulder as I stepped out of the footprint. "Using the softness of the soil, and the depth of the footprint, I can calculate this Rhydon's weight." Jenny gulped and shook her head.

"And?" she asked, anxiously awaiting my calculations.

"I've done the math over and over again. It just can't be. A normal Rhydon weighs around 250 to 270 pounds." I looked down at the piece of paper I was holding, fastened to a thin clipboard. On it were some staggering numbers… that I didn't even want to think about. "This footprint suggests a specimen that weighs around 700 pounds." Jenny's mouth dropped open as I dropped the clipboard to the ground. I shook my head and looked towards Viridian City. I could hear cranes and construction vehicles in the distance, cleaning up the recent destruction. Twelve people had been pronounced dead, and almost a hundred others injured when the building collapsed. I turned back to King and motioned him to follow me.

"Where are you going?" Jenny yelled towards me. I turned away from the city and headed towards the hills in the distance.

"I need more evidence if I'm going to believe this," I replied. "For all we know, this could just be a prank by some kids, totally unrelated to the case at hand." I kept walked towards the tree line, muttering while I did. "If there's a 16 foot Rhydon out there… I need to see it for myself."


	6. Target 2: Earthquake Machine Part 2

I trudged through the thick of the woods surrounding Viridian City. The tick-filled tall grass around my legs was scratching at my clothes, and every now and again it would shift as something ran frightened around its roots. King was marching heavily behind me, stamping the grass down to the Earth and impacting it into the soil. Up ahead, the grass subsided and gave way to dirt and rocks climbing their way up to the higher hilltops. This was the perfect place for a rock-Pokemon, or more importantly, a large Rhydon, to hide out.

"Nido!" I heard from behind me. I turned to see King angrily kicking some rocks around as his feet continued to slide up the hill. I laughed a little and wiped some sweat from my forehead, before flicking it onto the hot dirt below us.

"I know it's hot, dude," I muttered between long breaths. "But see up there?" I pointed towards the top of the hill, where heat bended the air above the ground and blurred the horizon behind it. "That is where a Rhydon would hide out. Rock Pokemon have cold blood, so they need to bask in hot sunlight in order to absorb enough heat to keep their bodies warm. They also like being in dry desert areas, where they can easily blend into their surroundings." King grumbled to himself as he walked to my side. I patted him on the shoulder, careful not to prick myself on his spikes. "Just a little further." I turned back to the hill and made my way towards the top.

Once we reached the summit of the hill, it seemed like the sun was twenty times hotter. Whenever a cloud passed in front of it, I would stare up at the sky and almost shed a tear when I saw how small the cloud was, before it quick floated by and let the sunlight pour in again. Behind us was the skyline of Viridian City, almost dwarfed by the amount of trees and woodland that surrounded it. Viridian Forrest was massive, and it was one of the largest sections of preserved land in Kanto. I knew that it had been a problem for the hospital in the city this year, however. Rising temperatures meant Weedles were starting to shell into Kakuna much earlier in the season than normal. Many unsuspecting newcomers from Pallet town found themselves in the Viridian City hospital after being swarmed by Beedrill. I only know of one fatality.

"King?" His low, rumbling voice broke the silence around us, and I turned to see what had got his attention. I saw a bush in the distance that King had focused on. It was trembling back and forth, but not with the wind. Something was shuffling within in. I picked up a small pebble and threw it in the air, catching it again on the way down. I took aim and skipped it along the dirt into the bush. I expected a Pidgey to fly away, or with how dry and barren it was up here, a Sandshrew to scurry out and into its den. However, nothing happened, the bush trembled once again. I searched for a larger stone and grasped it. I took careful aim at the bush and threw the rock once more. It skipped into the bush and I heard a loud clanging sound. Could there be a rock pokemon hiding in there? Suddenly King grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. Maybe it was his animal instincts kicking in… but I'm glad his did. The area was suddenly filled with a deafening explosion. Dirt and dust flew in all directions and I could hear rocks bouncing off of King's back. He grunted in pain as fire wrapped around him and exploded over his shoulders. I almost fell from the immense heat, but managed to stay conscious. The fire and smoke ended quickly, and the remnants slowly began to dissipate.

King dropped his weight onto his tail and sat down. He took some deep breaths and looked like he would faint at any minute. I pulled some potion out of my bag, my hands shaking as I did. I sprayed it on his back, which caused the wounds to start shaking and closing up. I sighed and looked back towards the bush. It was now just a crater, black and smoking. In the center was an orb, about two feet in diameter. It didn't take a genius to realize what it was. However, it still raised questions as to why it was there. I slowly approached the crater, placing each step carefully. I wasn't nervous about what laid in the crater anymore, but was more concerned that there may be more of them. I reached the edge of the crater and stepped inside. What I saw completely astonished me. Could it really be? I knelt down next to the orb and rolled it over. I still got a few shocks, like that of weak static, but it was all that remained.

"King?" I heard from a distance. I turned my head to him and nodded.

"Yeah," I replied. "It's a Voltorb, alright… but…" Its eyes were half closed, and it seemed like it was staring at absolutely nothing. However, the thing that had struck me was its color. Just like the Scyther leading the tribe earlier, this Voltorb was different. This Voltorb was what the trainers called "shiny." The top half of the Voltorb was a deep blue, instead of its natural red. This was a prized find for trainers everywhere. I looked into the eyes of the Voltorb which were now dimmed. The eyes of a Voltorb were incredible. Millions upon millions of tiny wires, interlaced and faintly glowing with energy. Of all the Pokemon I know, Voltorbs and Electrodes may be the most misunderstood. People often don't approach them, for good reason. Deaths and horrible burns are indeed caused by these creatures, on more than a few occasions. However, people believe they commit suicide whenever some gets near them. There are two things false about that. Voltorbs don't explode unless ordered by their trainers, or provoked… such as throwing a rock at them. They also aren't killed from the explosion. It isn't them exploding, so much as releasing massive amounts of energy in one burst. It leaves them tired and drained, until they can recharge and reactivate. It is true, although, that Voltorbs seem to get provoked much easier than other Pokemon with the self-destruct trait, like Koffings, Magnemites, and Geodudes.

"It doesn't make any sense," I said quietly to myself. "Why is there a Voltorb out here? Voltorbs like to migrate towards sources of electricity." I looked back at the city behind me, seeing that the power lines for its thousands of inhabitants were still many miles away. Maybe the Voltorb was on its way there? But maybe… something more was happening. I knelt down next to the Voltorb and took out another bottle of potion. I heard a rumble as King jumped to his feet.

"King!" he cried. I put up my hand and stopped him.

"It's okay, King," I said to him. "I need to see if this Voltorb can communicate anything to me. If I don't aggravate it… I'll be okay." I slowly lowered my hand and carefully sprayed some potion onto the Voltorb. I watched the small strip across its body start to light up once again, and its eyes became bright once more. The glowing pupils started to dart around until they landed on my own. The Voltorb shook a few times and I could feel it getting angry. It screeched and I felt a surge of electricity course through me. I tried to be careful in dropping the Voltorb, but I needed to get away from it. The Voltorb fell away from me and to the ground, breaking the shock it was giving me. I fell to my backside and shook my hands in the air, which were hot from absorbing most of the shock. The Voltorb glared at me and shook again.

"Voltorb!" it screamed. I knew it was angry and gearing up to explode again. A lot of people say, 'don't let Pokemon sense you are afraid." That doesn't hold true with Voltorbs. Despite being mechanical and constantly upset, they do have a sense of sympathy. Now was the time to show I didn't mean any harm… and show that I was afraid. I put up my hands and slid away.

"Please, Voltorb!" I yelled. "Calm down!" The Voltorb continued to shake, but it slowed down a bit. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just up here looking for something." Voltorb stopped shaking, but kept its eyes directly on mine. "I need you to tell me if you know anything. People have died, Voltorb, a lot of people. I need to know if you've seen anything strange lately. Anything out of the ordinary… and then I'll leave you alone." Voltorb's eyes dimmed slightly and it began to rotate. It looked downwards at the ground and stared at the dirt underneath it. I didn't know if it was thinking, or refusing to answer my question… whatever the reason, I'm just glad it didn't seem angry anymore. Voltorb suddenly lit up and shot a small streak of lighting out of its side and into the earth below it. The pebbles all jumped into the air and dropped harmlessly to the ground again. Voltorb looked up at me afterwards and stared into my eyes. I looked at the ground, and it did as well.

"The ground?" I asked. Voltorb nodded by rotating back and forth. It then started to spin quickly side-to-side, digging itself into the earth. After it got a few inches down, it jumped back onto the flat dirt again. "It's underground," I said quietly. "Directly underneath here?" Again Voltorb nodded. "What's underneath here? Do you know?" Voltorb shook slightly and lit up once again. Small bolts of lightning erupted from its sides and leapt into the air around it. I stepped back and looked at King.

"Something's under here," I said to him. "Something electrical. We have to find out what it is. Maybe it's responsible for the attacks." Voltorb stopped glowing and returned to its normal state. It turned away from me and began rolling away. "Wait!" I yelled. Voltorb turned to me and looked into my eyes, angrily, as they always seemed. "I know you have no reason to help me more… but I need to get down there. If there's an electric signal coming from it, can you show me where it is at its strongest? It might be the way in where the signal is leaking out." Voltorb looked at the ground and then back at me. "Please, I need to get in there." Voltorb lowered its eyebrows and then suddenly started to glow.


End file.
